Vehicle roof-lining comprising integrated lateral airbag modules for the head

• US 20040251663A1
• Filed: 08/17/2004
• Published: 12/16/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 09/06/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Johnson Controls GmbH (Adient plc), TRW Occupant Restraint Systems GmbH & Co. KG
• Original Assignee: Johnson Controls GmbH (Adient plc), TRW Occupant Restraint Systems GmbH & Co. KG
• Inventors: Heigl, Jurgen, Muller, Wolfgang, Gerecke, Ralf, Heyer, Rainer, Eyrainer, Heinz
• Granted Patent: US 7,481,448 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 280/730.1
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/0414 using energy absorbing ribs
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/0442 associated with the roof panel
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/213 in vehicle roof frames or pillars
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/2176 the air bag components being completely enclosed in a soft or semi-rigid housing or cover
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/26 characterised by the inflation fluid source or means to control inflation fluid flow arrangement or mounting thereof to the vehicle B60R21/20; blasting cartridges for producing gas under pressure in general F42B3/04; initiators or igniters therefor F42B3/10

Abstract

The vehicle headliner has integrated head-side airbag modules. Each module has an elongated accommodation housing (12) for a folded airbag (14). The accommodation housings (12) are arranged along the side edges of the headliner (10). At the side of the headliner (10), the accommodation housing (12) is connected to a support structure (18) that has support ribs and that is joined to the headliner by means of gluing. On the opposite side, facing the vehicle body, the accommodation housing (12) is covered by a further support structure (20) having numerous support ribs.

Claims

1. A vehicle headliner with integrated head-side airbag modules that have elongated accommodation housings for one folded airbag each and that are arranged along the side edges of the headliner, each of the accommodation housings, together with at least parts of the support structure, being formed of a generally flat shaped body with at least one hinge line that runs in the lengthwise direction, each of the accommodation housings being formed by folding together the shaped body parts on both sides of the hinge line.

3. The vehicle headliner according to claim 1, characterized in that, towards the side of the vehicle body, the accommodation housings are each connected to a support structure that has support ribs.

4. The vehicle headliner according to claim 3, characterized in that the support structure is adapted to be connected to the vehicle body in that the headliner with the airbag modules is mounted as a whole onto the vehicle body.

5. The vehicle headliner according to claim 1, characterized in that the support structure has a multitude of support ribs spaced apart from each other in the lengthwise direction.

6. The vehicle headliner according to claim 5, characterized in that the support structure is made in one piece with the accommodation housing by means of injection molding.

7. The vehicle headliner according to claim 1, characterized in that the accommodation housing—

together with at least parts of the support structure—

is formed of a generally flat shaped body with at least one hinge line that runs in the lengthwise direction, the accommodation housing being formed by folding together the shaped body parts on both sides of the hinge line.

8. The vehicle headliner according to claim 1, characterized in that the hinge line is made in a curved base area that connects the two legs.

9. The vehicle headliner according to claim 8, characterized in that a further hinge line is formed at an edge of one of the two legs and the support structure connected via this hinge line is folded over onto the leg.

10. The vehicle headliner according to claim 8, characterized in that, between the support structure and the edge of the leg, connection webs are connected via one hinge line each.

11. The vehicle headliner according to claim 7, characterized in that the base area connecting the legs of the accommodation housing is made up of two essentially semi-cylindrical shaped parts which, when folded over onto each other along the hinge line, complement each other to form an elongated hollow body.

12. The vehicle headliner according to claim 11, characterized in that an essentially cuboid accommodation channel for the folded airbag adjoins the hollow body towards the edges of the leg.

13. The vehicle headliner according to claim 1, characterized in that one rigid gas distribution tube each is arranged along the base of a corresponding accommodation housing.

14. The vehicle headliner according to claim 11, characterized in that, on a projection of the headliner facing the C-column of the vehicle, there is arranged a gas generator that is connected to the end of the gas distribution tube that protrudes from the accommodation housing.

15. The vehicle headliner according to claim 12, characterized in that the gas generator is provided with attachment elements for attaching it to a C-column of the vehicle.

16. The vehicle headliner according to claim 1, characterized in that the support structure is joined to an edge strip of the headliner that extends beyond the accommodation housing towards the middle line of the headliner.

17. The vehicle headliner according to claim 1, characterized in that the support structure is glued to the headliner across the entire surface.

18. The vehicle headliner according to claim 1, characterized in that an energy-absorbing impact protection is provided by the connection of the headliner and the support structure having support ribs.

19. The vehicle headliner according to claim 1, characterized in that the support structure has a folding line formed by a reduction of the material thickness, along which the headliner also unfolds after activation of the airbag module.

2. A vehicle headliner with integrated head-side airbag modules that have elongated accommodation housings for one folded airbag each and that are arranged along the side edges of the headliner, the accommodation housings each forming an elongated ejection channel having a U-shaped cross section, at least one leg of which lies against a support structure, and each support structure being joined to the leg of the accommodation housing that faces away from the headliner and covering the accommodation housing completely and being extended beyond the latter towards the middle of the vehicle.